The Fear in The Child

Friendly Banter

It was not too long after they had agreed to help each other in their studies that they left for their class. Tom followed Draco down the familiar staircases, it would not do to be too familiar with the school, after all. He was supposed to be new to the school, and though he could probably manage to play it off, he was not one hundred percent sure that he would manage it well enough. It was easier to just let Draco lead. They had about ten minutes before they needed to leave the common room to head to potions class. One of the positives of having a dorm room in the depths of the castle. That, and the cool, damp air and the dark aura seemed calming to many of the Slytherins, Tom included.

Draco had made it prevalent that he wished to introduce Tom to his close circle of friends.
"Why?" Tom had asked him, abruptly pausing, his dark eyes gazing calmly at Draco.

"Because." Draco said simply, his tone making it clear that he thought it was a stupid question. "You have power." He sighed heavily, staring at Tom calmly. "Well controlled power. Very well as a matter of fact. Not to mention you are more then capable. You are a Slytherin, no matter what others may say. I can see that from a mile away there is no way that you are not and I only have known you for a day at most. Not many Halfbloods hold themselves the way you do, speak the way you do, or act how you act, definitely a Slytherin. Unlike some, it is not a pretext either. You do it naturally. I, for one, wish to help you in your aim to purge the school of Dumbledore and his idiocy. I heard you mutter about it on the way to the common room last night." Draco said, effectively answering Tom's unasked question. "It is something my Father has been trying to do, and my grandfather before him. Furthermore, I actually enjoy your presence." Tom smiled, lifting his mouth ever so slightly, before nodding.

"Well, we mustn't waste time then." Tom said simply, allowing Draco to continue to take him to the Common Room.

Indeed, they did not have much time before the need to leave was there, and Draco wished to do this sooner, rather than later. Especially with the stupid golden trio headed to their class as well. Draco had gathered his friends previously, in order to do this swiftly. 

"Guys. I want you to meet my friend. Tom Riddle." Draco said, idly lifting his hand to motion towards Tom, who was standing silently and cold as marble next to him. "Tom, this is Blaise, Pansy..." the two which Tom had originally met on the Train ride to the school. "Crabbe, Goyle," he then motioned towards two overly...chunky teens. Tom smiled faintly at them as well before Draco continued. "And Aurora." Tom inclined his head slightly, moving his dark eyes across the Slytherins which had gathered. Draco only consorted with two teen females, something which Tom was relieved to find. Most of them were males, and though it was faint, they were all useful in their own ways, Tom could note that from simply seeing them together.

"A pleasure, my name is Tom Marvolo Riddle," He lifted his hand to his chest, and bowed slightly, eyes watching them carefully. "And as I am sure you have already realized I am a Halfblood, who was...unfortunately...raised within the...muggle world." Try as he might his hatred of muggles was obvious as he uttered the last two words. Yet he composed himself swiftly. As though nothing had happened and smiled at them, tilting his head to the side lightly.

"You don't seem to like the muggles much for a halfblood." Pansy stated swiftly. Tom swiveled his gaze to her, darker brown meeting dark brown.

"That is because I could care less about their pathetic plane of existence." He hissed, eyes flashing angrily. His words, his words coming out more serpentine than english as he continued. "Just because I was raised with them, or because I am a half breed does not mean i have to feel any sort of...obligation...to their meager lives." Draco smiled thinly at Pansy, glaring with his eyes as he placed a hand on Tom's shoulder.

Tom inhaled once, and exhaled, all traces of wrath gone from his body.

"Perhaps my words were a little...harsh, my dear. I apologize. The muggles which I grew up with were not a very kind sort." He said, a small smile with such utter torment flashing through his eyes for a mere second, before everything was once more veiled behind a mask.

"I suppose you probably hate them more than Purebloods." Aurora hummed out, glancing at him.

"The depth of my dislike has no words which can describe the hatred and loathing which I have for that race of creatures." He spoke, words soft, never once having lifted his tone above that of barely a whisper, yet his hissed out syllables made it clear what he thought of them.

"Should have known. Takes a special kind of Halfblood to get into Slytherin. Professor Snape hates the Muggles too. Never talk about them in front of him." Crabbe spoke, both him and his other overly weighed companion shuddering at the memory.

Tom smiled thinly. "Well, considering the both of us were raised within the Muggle world, we both are intimately acquainted with the depth of their cruelty, malice, and pathetically simple barbarity." He said calmly, having lost the snake like quality and smoothly swifted to a calm, soothing one.

"You got a good one, Draco." Blaise said simply. "I assume you hate the Gryffindor fool in charge? Draco wouldn't bring someone in who wasn't trying to rid the school of him." Tom smiled, his eyes lit with dark mystery, his smile colder than the Black Lake.

"When it comes to that Old Man...I have more respect for the ground I walk on." He said lightly. Blaise smiled.

"Well, congratulations Tom. And Welcome."